


Here...Let Me

by cloj



Category: Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 01:14:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3709449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloj/pseuds/cloj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Capt. James Nicholls and his wife Elise are expecting their first child before James is sent off on a scouting mission...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here...Let Me

She stood looking out the window of the kitchen, idly rinsing the breakfast dishes when she heard the solid thud of his boots behind her on the wooden floorboards.  
‘Darn this thing!’ he cursed.  
Elise turned around to see her husband James angrily pulling his tie from around his neck.  
She laughed good-naturedly at him.  
‘James, you should know by now you never get it right. Here…let me.’  
She pulled the tie from his hand and placed it gently around his neck. Within minutes it was tied perfectly and tucked into James’ jacket.  
Elise stood up on her toes and placed a kiss on James’ lips.  
‘You look dashing now in your uniform,’ she said smiling proudly at him, ‘you better go, you don’t want to be late’  
‘Darling,’ he said, pulling her to him and kissing her once more, ‘I’ll see you at sunset.’  
‘I’ll be waiting,’ she replied, walking James to the front door and watching him leave their small cottage.  
James was a Captain in the British Calvary and Elise was a nurse in the nearby hospital. Their paths had crossed many times until James one day plucked up the courage to court Elise, and they been together ever since and had recently wed.  
Now she was pregnant with their first child.  
Elise began to busy herself around the house after James had left, washing, tidying up, preparing dinner until the end of the day arrived and she waited at the front gate to see James coming down the street towards her, often breaking into a run at the end and upon reaching her would scoop her up and twirl her around much to her delight, though she would feebly protest at his actions.  
Tonight he came bearing flowers, a colourful mixed bunch that she had loved, and he had sheepishly admitted he’d pinched them from various gardens on the way home.  
Elise beamed at him before reaching up and undoing his tie for him and taking it off from around his neck.  
And this is how their days usually went.  
After dinner, James would help Elise wash up and then they would retire for the night, with James often reading to Elise, now that she was pregnant, until she fell asleep in his arms.  
From then on, every morning, Elise would fasten James’ tie for him and then untie it for him when he returned home. It became a welcomed ritual for both of them.  
Months later James had arrived home and Elise was standing at the gate, waiting for him like she always did. However this time, his smile faltered when he reached her. His eyes were filled with tears as he tried to speak, the words faltering from his lips.  
She knew.  
It was inevitable, but there was a small part of her that clung to the hope that he’d never have to.  
He was to go on a scouting mission.  
Elise bit her lip as tears filled her eyes. She stood tall in front of James, and reached up to remove his tie for him as she always did.  
‘When?’ she whispered.  
‘Tomorrow,’ he said.  
‘How long?’ she asked.  
‘Only a couple of weeks,’ he replied.  
Elise’s eyes widened.  
It wasn’t enough time. She wanted time. She needed more time. She wasn’t ready to be brave just yet. But she tried.  
‘Dinner’s getting cold,’ she said, ushering James inside.  
She had to be strong. She had to be brave. She didn’t want to be.  
They ate their dinner in silence, neither of them wanting to say anything as reality dawned on them but also both filled with so many things they wanted to say…in case…  
James held Elise’s hand as they ate, refusing to let go.  
Afterwards, he read to her again as he always did, and felt her silent tears wet his pyjama top, but he said nothing and gently stroked her hair as he read.  
The next morning, James awoke early and quietly slid out of bed to pack a few things. He looked at his beautiful wife, still sleeping soundly, her hand resting over her growing belly. He inhaled shakily and prayed he’d live to see the child they’d made together.  
He was sure he would. He scoffed at himself for being over-cautious.  
His eyes darted to her bedside table and looked at the framed picture of the two of them from their wedding day. Elise was stunningly beautiful, but he remembered how much she took his breath away that day, and he thought himself the luckiest man alive.  
He spotted her pale pink ribbon placed in front of it. He quietly walked over and picked it up. He held it to his nose and inhaled, it smelled like her, vanilla and apples. He pocketed it in his jacket pocket, to be able to have a piece of her with him.  
Elise stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes, seeing James standing next to her. She sat upright.  
‘Are you leaving already?’ she said, her eyes wide with alarm.  
‘No darling,’ he said, moving to sit next to her on the bed, ‘I’m up extra early to pack.’  
Her eyes lowered, noticing something pink poking out from the top of his pocket. Frowning, she reached out and pulled at it, smiling when she realised what it was.  
James reached out and touched her face tenderly, before leaning in to kiss her gently.  
‘Shall we have breakfast darling?’ he whispered.  
‘I’ll dress and meet you downstairs?’ Elise replied.  
James smiled and picked up his bag before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Sighing, Elise threw the covers off and stood up from the bed. She dressed quickly and brushed her hair before heading downstairs to join her husband.  
Elise picked at the food on her plate, no appetite within her.  
James cleared his throat.  
‘You need to eat darling,’ he said gently, ‘keep your strength up for our baby.’  
Elise tried unsuccessfully to hold back a sob.  
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.  
James chuckled.  
‘I’d be slightly worried if you didn’t darling,’ he said, ‘promise me you’ll take care of yourself. You need to be strong for this little one,’ he placed a hand lovingly on her stomach, ‘I’ll be back before the baby is to be born and I want to see you the same as when I left you, maybe slightly rounder,’ he chuckled again as she swatted his arm, ‘it’s only a couple of weeks darling and then I’ll be back and we’ll be ready to welcome this little one into the world.’  
‘You’re right James, of course,’ she said, with a shaky smile.  
‘Let’s finish breakfast love, I need to go shortly,’ he said.  
They continued to eat before washing the dishes together.  
They both knew it was time.  
James picked up his bag in one hand and held the other out for Elise. Together they walked out of the cottage and to the front gate.  
James stopped and put his bag down, and then held something out to Elise in his hand.  
His tie.  
‘Who’s going to do this for me whilst I’m away?’ he chuckled as Elise took it out of his hand and began their morning ritual of tying it for him.  
‘Just don’t go finding some pretty girl to do it,’ she laughed through her tears, ‘there,’ she admired her work, her hands on James’ shoulders, ‘so handsome.’  
‘So beautiful,’ he replied, bending down to kiss her, ‘I will be back in fourteen sunsets, wait for me love.’  
‘I will,’ she said, ‘I love you.’  
‘I love you more,’ he said, ‘look after my heart until I return for it darling.’  
And with that, she watched him walk down the street until he was just about to turn out of sight. He looked back and waved, as did Elise when he did.  
Then he was gone.  
Elise turned and headed into the cottage, upstairs to their bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, allowing her tears to flow freely.  
Elise spent the next several days trying to do what James had asked of her. Eating properly to keep her strength up, tidying the cottage and visiting friends, anything to keep busy. She discovered she rather enjoyed pottering around in the small garden outside. Although she knew James was not coming home, she still sat out on the front porch and watched the sunset, imagining he was doing the same thing.  
At least she hoped he was.  
James barely had time to think of his beloved, only finding time when he was able to rest. He had to be more concerned with the approaching enemy and staying one step ahead of them so that he could get home to his beloved Elise. But in those moments of solitude, he would take out Elise’s pink ribbon and twirl it around his fingers.  
Soon, he thought, soon my darling.  
He was a couple of days out on his return journey home when he and his men were unexpectedly met with enemy gunfire. Most men were caught unawares by the enemy’s element of surprise.  
There were no survivors.  
Elise was readying herself, the excitement in her stomach like wild butterflies. By the time sunset came, she headed out to the front gate. As promised, she saw James making his way down the street.  
But he was not alone. He was with someone.  
The two men neared and Elise realised neither men were her James. They finally reached her front gate. They both removed their hats, sadness etched on their faces.  
‘Mrs. James Nicholls?’ one of them asked.  
Fear took over Elise’s body. She nodded silently.  
Then he began talking, though the words sounded muffled to her ears.  
‘Calvary ambushed.’  
‘Machine-gun fire.’  
‘No survivors.’  
‘He died a hero.’  
‘NOOOOOOOOOO!’ Elise screamed, before she began to collapse, both men rushing forward to support her.  
Then she looked down.  
Her legs felt strangely wet.  
Her waters had broken.  
It had been two weeks since Elise had received the devastating news of her beloved James. She had gone into labour early due to the shock of the news she’d received and consequently had ended up having an extended stay in hospital.  
She was now home with her healthy, beautiful baby boy.  
Thomas James Nicholls.  
The cottage felt empty, even with the noises the baby constantly made. She loved him with every fibre of her being, but there would always be a place in her heart that would be forever broken.  
Her James was gone.  
But he had left her a truly wonderful gift.  
Elsie had not long finished feeding Thomas when she noticed the sun beginning to set. She stood up, cradling Thomas and walked out the front door and towards the gate.  
‘You know Thomas,’ she cooed to her son, ‘I used to stand out here every evening and wait for your Daddy to come home,’ she kissed the top of his head tenderly, ‘I always thought you would stand here and wait with me.’  
She began to let the tears fall down her cheeks as she held him tightly to her.  
‘You’ll never know your Daddy my darling boy,’ she whispered, ‘but I’ll make sure you know what a wonderful man he was and how much he was looking forward to meeting you.’  
She wiped at her tears and took one last look at the sunset before she decided to head inside.  
In the distance, there was someone walking, no hobbling, down the street.  
Elise frowned, probably some strange old man, she thought.  
But he seemed familiar.  
She looked again.  
‘No!’ she cried out, her hand flying to her mouth in shock.  
It had to be a dream.  
His uniform was torn and bloodied, as was his face and hands. He limped in pain but there was no denying the smile on his face.  
James.  
His eyes widened in surprise as he took in the sight of his lovely Elise, and what she held in her arms.  
They fell into each other’s embrace, sobbing and holding onto one another, too afraid to let go. Elise reached up and touched his face with her hand, wanting to feel him under her fingers.  
He was real.  
‘They…they told me you…you had…’ she choked on her words.  
‘No…hush darling,’ he held his sobbing wife in his arms, ‘a couple of us were able to flee into a nearby forest. It all happened so quickly…’ he whispered.  
She put her fingers on his lips.  
‘It doesn’t matter my love,’ she said, ‘you’re here. You’re really here!’  
She looked down at Thomas.  
‘There’s someone who wants to meet you,’ she smiled through her tears, ‘James, meet your son, Thomas James,’ she held out Thomas for James to take, ‘Thomas, this is your Daddy.’  
James took his son gingerly into his arms, placing a kiss on his head before inhaling his sweet newborn scent.  
‘A boy!’ he cried, ‘darling we have a boy…’  
He was overjoyed.  
Elise suddenly remembered.  
She reached up and began to undo James’ tie. It came undone easily and she held it in her hands.  
‘Come James,’ she whispered, ‘let’s go home,’ she said, placing her arm around his waist, as he did to her.  
They walked into their cottage with their son James.  
Together.


End file.
